Team Canada Wins both Games in Exhibition Series against Brakettes

(Brampton, ON) The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team won both games of an exhibition series doubleheader against the Stratford Brakettes on Sunday night, defeating them 2-0 in a tight contest before winning 12-1 in the second game. The two teams will square off in another doubleheader at the Brampton Fairgrounds on Monday afternoon.

In the first game, Team Canada scored both of its runs in the bottom of the first inning and the pitching took over for the rest of the game as they held on for the 2-0 win. Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) drew a walk, stole second and scored on a single to left field by Jen Yee (North Delta, BC). Kaleigh Rafter (Guelph, ON) and Megan Gurski (Dalmeny, SK) followed up with walks to load the bases before Yee scored on an error on a ground ball to shortstop, which was all the scoring in the first game. Jenna Caira (Toronto, ON) pitched the first four innings for Canada, limiting the Brakettes to three hits and she struck out three batters. Sara Groenewegen (Surrey, BC) pitched the last three innings, allowing only one hit and striking out seven. At the plate, Canada was held to three hits in the victory.

In the second game of the twin bill, the red and white score early and often, capped off with a six-run seventh inning for the 12-1 win. In the top of the first inning, Yee hit a two-out double and after a pair of walks loaded the bases, Carey-Leigh Thomas (Ohsweken, ON) delivered a two-run single to centerfield to open the scoring. In the third, Canada added a run to its lead when Gurski doubled to left-center field and scored on another single by Thomas.

The following inning, Megan Timpf (Port Dover, ON) singled and scored on a two-run homerun by Yee to increase the lead to 5-0, and Team Canada went on to add another run in the top of the sixth when Hayward singled, and after moving up to second on a walk, scored on a single to centerfield by Gurski.

In the seventh inning, Caitlin Lever (Buffalo, NY) singled to centerfield and Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, ON) walked, and both runners went on to score on an error on an infield hit by Hayward. Walks by Timpf and Jenny Gilbert (Saskatoon, SK) loaded the bases before Erika Polidori (Brantford, ON) launched a grand slam to centerfield to increase the lead to 12-0. In the bottom of the frame, the Brakettes got a pair of walks followed by a double to score their only run.

Karissa Hovinga (Edmonton, AB) got the start in the pitcher’s circle for Canada and held the Brakettes to two hits and a walk with one strikeout in four innings of work. Sara Plourde (Fredericton, NB) pitched the last three innings, allowing a run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

The two teams will square off in another doubleheader at noon and 2:00pm EDT on Monday. The games can be watched through the webstream on the Brakettes website.